CVE-2017-3051 in Acrobat Reader
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Acrobat Reader versions 11.0.19 and earlier, 15.006.30280 and earlier, 15.023.20070 and earlier have an exploitable memory corruption vulnerability in the image conversion engine, related to parsing of JPEG files. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/01/2024
Adobe Acrobat Reader contains a critical memory corruption vulnerability in its image conversion engine that specifically affects JPEG file parsing operations. This vulnerability exists within the software's handling of image data during the conversion process, where improper memory management allows for buffer overflow conditions that can be exploited by malicious actors. The flaw manifests when the application processes specially crafted JPEG files that trigger memory corruption in the underlying image processing libraries. According to the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, this vulnerability maps to CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, and CWE-125, out-of-bounds read, as the application fails to properly validate input boundaries during image data processing. The vulnerability affects multiple version ranges including 11.0.19 and earlier, 15.006.30280 and earlier, and 15.023.20070 and earlier, indicating a long-standing issue that persisted across major product releases. The exploitation of this vulnerability enables remote code execution through crafted JPEG files that can be embedded in PDF documents, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where PDF processing is common. Attackers can leverage this flaw by crafting malicious JPEG images that, when processed by the vulnerable Acrobat Reader, cause memory corruption leading to arbitrary code execution. The operational impact extends beyond individual user systems to enterprise networks where PDF documents are frequently shared and processed, potentially allowing attackers to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within the compromised environment. This vulnerability aligns with the attack pattern described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1203, Exploitation for Client Execution, and T1059, Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it enables attackers to execute malicious code on target systems. The memory corruption occurs during the image conversion process where the application fails to properly allocate or validate memory regions when parsing JPEG file structures, particularly affecting the handling of image dimensions, compression parameters, and metadata. Security researchers have identified that the vulnerability stems from insufficient bounds checking in the JPEG parsing code, allowing attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations with malicious payloads. The exploitation requires minimal user interaction as the vulnerability can be triggered through normal PDF document opening operations, making it particularly insidious for targeted attacks. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected versions, as the vulnerability has been actively exploited in the wild and represents a significant risk to data confidentiality and system integrity. The remediation approach involves updating to patched versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader where the image conversion engine has been hardened against buffer overflow conditions and input validation has been strengthened. Additional mitigations include implementing strict file type filtering, disabling automatic image processing in PDF viewers, and deploying network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper memory management in document processing applications and highlights the need for robust input validation across all image handling components within enterprise software ecosystems.